March Power in Partnership will be a ‘salute’ to agribusiness, farmers

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Rowan Chamber of Commerce

SALISBURY — The Rowan Chamber’s Power in Partnership breakfast for March will feature keynote speaker Debbie Hamrick of the North Carolina Farm Bureau.

The breakfast will be held at 7:30 a.m. March 15 at Trading Ford Baptist Church, 3600 Long Ferry Road.

The breakfast combines the chamber’s salute to agribusiness and the Agricultural Extension Farmers’ Appreciation Breakfast for the third year in a row. The breakfast will feature Rowan-grown products with farm-fresh eggs, Patterson Farm jams and jellies, biscuits, breakfast meats and livermush.

Hamrick is director of specialty crops for Farm Bureau. She travels the state to meet with farmers and agriculture businessmen and women.

She is recognized as a connector and convener within the agricultural and local foods community. Hamrick’s resume includes business start-ups in the publishing, online and meeting fields. Much of her earlier career was spent developing the business community of the international floriculture industry across five continents.

The dates for the remaining 2018 PIP series are April 19, which will feature health care, and May 17, which will feature the Leadership Rowan graduation. Those breakfasts will be at Trinity Oaks, 728 Klumac Road.

The Power in Partnership series will take a break in the summer and start again in September.

The breakfast series averaged more than 150 in attendance each month during its last three seasons. The series recruits speakers to the community and provides networking opportunities.

Sponsors have exclusive marketing rights to the banquet room and share a five-minute sponsor profile on their company. Partner agencies communicate updates with local business leaders and address issues of concern for the region.

The Leadership Rowan Class members start their day at the breakfast and then venture out for each day’s session focused on a different aspect of the community.

Anyone without a Power Card can make individual reservations for the breakfast. The deadline is 5 p.m. March 13.

Rowan County farmers will be admitted free for the March breakfast. For chamber members, the cost is $15; for nonmembers, $25. The price includes breakfast and the program.

Contact the chamber for information on reservations or sponsorship opportunities at 704-633-4221 or info@rowanchamber.com.